How to host a successful fundraiser

If you’re planning a fundraising event, you want it to be a hit! 

GroupRaise wants you to have the most successful fundraiser ever, so to help you do so, here is a detailed 2 step process of how you can host a super simple and effective fundraiser for the cause you care most about.

Step 1: Organizing your event

The first step is to head to GroupRaise.com where you are able to request a fundraising dinner in under one minute. All you have to do is:

1. Choose a restaurant & the best date for your fundraiser
2. Invite your friends and supporters
3. Eat a delicious meal and receive between 15-50% of sales as a donation for your group!

For a more information on how to sign up for a restaurant fundraiser you can check out this post!

Step 2: Promoting your event

Being foodies here at GroupRaise, we obsess over the right ingredients. An important ingredient for the perfect fundraiser recipe is promotion! Here are the top 9 tips for promoting your restaurant fundraiser.

• Communicate with the restaurant
  Communication is the key when planning a fundraiser and promoting your event! One of the benefits of organizing a meal with GroupRaise is the chat feature. You can use this to easily connect with your partner resturant. All you have to do is log in to your account and once on your Dashboard, scroll down to the Meal Schedule section. For more info click here. You can also ask to leave a flyer with the restaurant prior to your event for them to display in store. Be sure to include the most important information like the date, time, give back percentage and how to make your order count.

• Post on all of your social network sites, repeatedly!
  Some of our most successful fundraiser hosts post on their Facebook and Instagram pages everyday before their event so it doesn’t escape any of their friends who might want to go. Don’t forget to take advantage of other social media platforms like Twitter, Pinterest or even TikTok!

• Send reminders
  Remind your supporters that the fundraiser is approaching. Lucky for you the RSVP link provided by GroupRaise will automatically send an email to your supporters on the day of the event so no one will forget! This includes yourself, with so much going on it’s one less thing on your plate. Too much is always better than too little when it comes to reminders!
• Post about the cause, post about the food
  There’s a lot of reasons to be excited about your event, so make sure people are excited too! People love to hear and see what your raising for so sharing pictures of your cause or group is a great way to spark engagement. Some people may be convinced to attend by their stomach, in which case a delicious food picture can do just the trick. People also love memes and creative posts, so don’t be afraid to share it on your Instagram and Facebook pages and tag your friends!
• Use your circles
  GroupRaise meals work best when you reach out to your communities of shared interest. People who tell their clubs, churches, schools, and teams about their dinners end up being the most successful because people in these groups already want to socialize. Think about the best ways to promote an event to each specific circle of friends.
• Promote an occasion
  People love celebrating something when they come together whether it be a birthday, anniversary, holiday, or milestone. While raising money for good causes is great in itself, an occasion makes the dinner almost impossible to turn down.
  
• Use social pressure to your advantage
  Let people know that ‘everyone is going to be there’ and warn them against missing the great food and great times! While you might not want to pressure your friends, we’ve all been driven to attend an event due to the fear of missing out on something great.
• Plan to promote your next event
  People love photos! At your dinner, take lots of quality pictures so your friends can see what a fun and social event your fundraiser was. This way people will know they’re in for a good time and want to come to your next fundraiser! Be sure to tag GroupRaise on social media and use the #groupraise. We love helping you get the word out about your cause!
• Support the people who support you
  People usually attend fundraisers because they care about the organizer. While your cause or group is awesome it’s the social and human connection that really drives people to attend events. The best fundraisers have people feeling like they made a difference when they leave. Being present for the duration of your fundraiser shows your supporters you really care, and remember to express your gratitude to the people that came to support

It’s Your Turn!

Now that you know how to host a successful fundraiser you can start putting all the tools to practice. If you haven’t organized your restaurant fundraiser yet, you can check out this short 1 minute video that explains how to do so, or you can head straight to the GroupRaise website to request your restaurant fundraiser, and start promoting today!